Union Statement on Youths Taking Weekend Joyride on R Train

JANUARY 28 -- Last weekend, three young men gained access to an R160 train in Queens and took it on a joyride, hitting 30 MPH according to their own video, which was posted on Instagram. These are new technology trains which TWU Local 100 has warned New York City Transit are vulnerable to break-ins.

In January of 2024 – a year ago -- New York City Transit committed to “a simple and fast solution that we can implement in weeks, not months or years” [The City, “Transit Workers Say MTA to Slow to Protect Subway Cabs, Dec 9, 2024.]

NYC Transit told the Union that new locks would be installed on the 7 line in the fall of 2024 because of the increasing number of assaults on that line – and then management committed to rolling out these new locks throughout the system. This hasn’t happened yet.

Any breach of security on our rolling stock affects not only NYCT personnel but the riding public as well. We are all at risk – trains in active service with members of the public on board can also be compromised.

Because train keys have been available to bad actors like these youngsters, we are fighting an uphill battle. We have to put up as many barriers as possible to this kind of dangerous mischief --- but that’s impossible as long as the MTA refuses to work with the Union to put safety first.

---- John V. Chiarello, Interim President, TWU Local 100